Orientation to studies is an important phase. During orientation you will get all the relevant information regarding the studies and study environment in Aalto and in the School of Electrical Engineering. To ensure a smooth start for your studies, you should attend all orientation activities.
If you have completed your BSc degree in Aalto, most content in the orientation week is already familiar to you. However, you can attend all activities but please read especially the final chapter in this page.
Orientation to studies
Orientation to studies consists of
- Self-study preorientation course online. In this online material you learn basic essential things about Aalto university and the study environment here. The course-space is accessible after you have activated your Aalto user account (starting from July 2024). You must go through the preorientation materials and exercises before the orientation week.
- Orientation week for new students on campus. Orientation week is organized on 26 - 30 August 2024. During the orientation week you will get a deeper understading on the studies in Aalto, meet programme staff and fellow students and start your journey as a member of the Aalto community! Orientation week is arranged by the Learning services together with the student associations in the School of Electrical Engineering.
Student Life
All new students get a student tutor (so called “iso”). Tutors (isos) are students from the School of Electrical Engineering who help new students during orientation week and at the beginning of their studies. All tutors have completed a tutoring training. Tutors are not necessarily senior students from your programme but they know all the general study practicalities and can help you eg. With course registrations etc. Tutoring is carried out in cooperation with the student organisations and the learning services. Your contact information will be given to your tutor and your tutor will contact you in July.
In the School of Electrical Engineering there are three student associations ie. Student guilds:
- Guild of Electrical Engineering
- Guild of Automation and Systems Technology
- Inkubio – Guild of bioinformation technology
The guilds operate under the Student Union AYY. The guilds organize tutoring and welcome activities to new students during the orientation week and also during the entire first semester.
Tutors in the IDBM programme are assigned by the IDBM Club from School of Business.
Revision of previous studies
To make your start in your programme as smooth as possible, you may consider refreshing some topics from your previous studies. Take a look at the recommendations of the programmes in the School of Electrical Engineering here:
Advanced Energy Solutions - Sustainable Energy Systems and Markets
- If your BSc degree is from other field than electrical engineering, a good source to go through is:
Mohamed A. El-Sharkawi, Electric Energy, An Introduction, 3rd Edition, CRC Press,ISBN 978-1-4665-0303-8
Automation and Electrical Engineering - Control, Robotics and Autonomous Systems
- Basics of engineering mathematics, e.g. integral transforms and probability theory
- Basics of linear systems and control theory
- Programming in e.g. Matlab, Python and/or C/C++
Automation and Electrical Engineering - Electrical Power and Energy Engineering
- Basics of engineering mathematics, e.g. integral transforms and Fourier analysis
- Basic of electric circuit theory
- Basics of linear systems and control theory
- Basic programming with Matlab
Automation and Electrical Engineering - Electronic and Digital Systems
- Engineering mathematics, calculus and probability in particular
- Basic programming with Matlab and/or Python, probably also C or C++
Computer, Communication and Information Sciences - Acoustics and Audio Technology
- Brush up you Matlab skills. Matlab is used in many courses and basic signal processing operations and plotting the figures are needed to do the home assignments.
Computer, Communication and Information Sciences - Communications Engineering
- Basics of Signals and Systems
- Programming in C/C++ (C-courses are available in Aalto as well, no need to study beforehand if no previous knowledge exists)
- Knowledge of Python is recommended but not necessary
Computer, Communication and Information Sciences - Signal Processing and Data Science
- Brush up your Python and Matlab skills as they are used in many courses
Computer, Communication and Information Sciences - Speech and Language Technology
- Brush up your Python skills. Python is used in many courses.
Electronics and Nanotechnology - Microwave Engineering
- Circuit analysis
- Electromagnetic field theory
Electronics and Nanotechnology - Micro- and nanoelectronic circuit design
- Electronics
- Circuit analysis
Electronics and Nanotechnology - Space Science and Technology, depending on your planned focus area within the major
- Circuit analysis
- Electromagnetic fields
- Electronics
- Physics
Electronics and Nanotechnology - Photonics and Nanotechnology
- Physics
- Basic mathematics
Pre-orientation webinar for new MSc students on 14 Aug 2024, 14-15 (EEST)
The Learning Services of the School of Electrical Engineering will organize a pre-orientation session online. In this webinar, we will go through some practical matters related to the start of your studies. More information and link will be provided in August newsletter.
Recordings (available until 30.8.2024):
Webinar for joint master's students (SSIs, CoDaS, SpaceMaster)
Webinar for master's students
Orientation week 2024
The orientation week is organised on 26 - 30 August 2024. All new students are expected to participate!
The preliminary programme listed here is subject to changes and the final detailed schedule will be available in early August 2024.
| When | What | Where |
| 10.30 - 11.30 |
Welcome to the School of Electrical Engineering Dean's welcome |
Maarintie 8, Hall TU2 |
| 11.30 - 13.00 |
Lunch with student tutors (ISOs) Lunch is offered by the school to tutor groups. Lunch takes place in Maarintie 8 restaurant. |
Maarintie 8 |
| 13.00 - 14.30 |
Studying at Aalto How are studies organised at Aalto? How to plan your studies? How do courses work and how to register for courses? - all essential topics concerning studies! |
|
| 15.00 - 15.45 |
Student Guilds at the School of Electrical Engineering What do the guilds offer to students? Get to know their activities and the people! |
Maarintie 8, Hall TU2 |
| 16.00 -> | Programme with ISOs and student guilds (see details below) | Maarintie 8 |
On Tuesday there are two sessions with the same contant in the afternoon. Please check which one id for your programme. Bring your laptop etc!
| When | What | Where |
| 9.30 - 11.00 |
Programme welcome sessions Programme Director’s welcome Master's Programmes in
Joint Master's Programmes:
|
|
| 11.00-13.00 |
Campus tour with tutors Tutors show you around campus. Includes a visit to the learning center (main library). Self-paid lunch. Tutors will pick up their groups from the above welcome sessions. |
|
| 13.00-14.15 |
Study plan and course registration clinic 1 Register for courses, draft your study plan and schedule, familiarize yourself with online tools. Staff is present to answer your questions.
|
|
| 14.45-16.00 |
Study plan and course registration clinic 2 Register to courses, draft your study plan and schedule, familiarize yourself with online tools. Staff is present to answer your questions. All clinics are held in Maarintie 8:
|
|
| 16.00 - | Programme with ISOs and student guilds (see details below) | Maarintie 8 |
| When | What | Where |
| 10.00 - 11.00 |
Info about tuition fees and scholarships (NOT for Codas and SSIs students) Have you been awarded an Aalto scholarship for your studies? In this session we will go through the most relevant terms and conditions regarding the scholarship. |
Maarintie 8, Hall AS1 |
| 9.00 - 11.00 |
Study plan and course registration clinic - voluntary If you didn't attend the clinic on Tuesday or if you have further question, join this voluntary clinic! Register for courses, draft your study plan and schedule, familiarize yourself with online tools. Staff is present to answer your questions |
Maarintie 8, Hall TU3 |
| 12.30 - 14.30 |
Display your academic integrity and intelligence How to operate in a new academic environment? What are the essential rules to know? How to revise you acaemic writing skills? |
Maarintie 8, Hall AS2 |
| 15.00 - 16.00 |
Aalto University Student Union AYY What does the AYY offer to students? Meet with AYY representatives. |
Maarintie 8, Hall AS2 |
| 16.00 -> | Programme with guilds and tutors - Otaorienteering (see details below) | Campus |
| When | What | Where |
| 10.00 - 15.00 |
Aalto Welcome Fair A live fair where you can visit several service providers and other interesting presenters. |
Otakaari 1, Undergraduate Center |
| 10.00-11.00 |
Study plan and course registration clinic - voluntary If you didn't attend the clinic on Tuesday or if you have further question, join this voluntary clinic! Register for courses, draft your study plan and schedule, familiarize yourself with online tools. Staff is present to answer your questions |
Maarintie 8, Hall TU3 |
| 14:00 - 15.00 |
Biking around campus - online campus tour Are you not able to attend the orientation week? Get to know campus in our online bike tour! |
https://aalto.zoom.us/j/68380689044 |
| 14.30 - 15.30 |
Better student life at Aalto Inspirational lecture on student life at Aalto and what it has to offer. |
Otakaari 1, Hall U2 |
| 16.00 - 17.00 | Info session for Aalto BSc graduates - starting your master's studies (ONLY for Aalto BSc graduates) | https://aalto.zoom.us/j/68951984620 |
| Programme with ISOs and student guilds (see details below) |
| When | What | Where |
| 10.00 - 11.00 |
Feedback brunch Feedback session with the staff. A small brunch is served afterwards. |
Maarintie 8, Hall TU2 |
| 9.00-12.00 |
Programme welcome session II for Smart Systems Integrated Solutions -programme |
Maarintie 8, Hall AS6 |
| 12.00 - 14.00 |
Teekkari-life - being a student of technology in Aalto Get to know the events, traditions and culture of technical students ("teekkarit) |
Otakaari 1, Hall A |
| 14.00 - 16.00 | Working Life in Finland: Presentation by TEK for Smart Systems Integrated Solutions programme |
Maarintie 8, TU7 |
| Programme with ISOs and student guilds (see details below) |
- You will meet with your programme staff in different sessions to ask questions in person.
- Send mail to [email protected].
- Book an appointment with the planning officer of your programme. Go to mystudies.aalto.fi and book.
- Ask your student tutor (ISO). Your tutor is not necessarily a senior student from your own programme but they can help with many general study-related questions.
The student guilds organize activities every day during the orientation week. Ask your tutor for details. Attendance in the events is not compulsory but will surely provide you with a lot of fun and a possibility to network with students in your field! Detailed schedule for 2024 will be published in August.
| Monday 26 Aug 16.00 -> |
AS: Overall-gala - A chance to try on the overalls and figure out what size you will need followed by time to hang out with your tutor group and do some fun activities to get to know your peers. SIK: Overall-gala - Receive your overalls and get to know the overalls of other guilds and associations. Get to meet your fellow fuksis, both exchange and master's and also finnish bachelor fuksis. There are also company presentations and stands to look for employment |
| Tuesday 27 Aug 16.00 -> |
AS: Kiltailta - The guild evening will be in the form of a checkpoint crawl where the Fuksis will learn about the AS guild. SIK: SIKnik - Relaxing and grilling outdoors next to the guild room in TUAS. |
| Wednesday 28 Aug 16.00 -> |
AS & SIK: Otasuunnistus/Otaorienteering - An Otaniemi wide checkpoint crawl to have fun and learn about student life and student associations in Otaniemi |
| Thursday 29 Aug 16.30 -> |
SIK AS fun - hangout with the guilds |
| Friday 30 Aug |
AS: OtaFest - Grand finale of the orientation week, the Otaniemi Festival!! SIK: 14.00 -> Tug-of-War - Traditional tug-of-war between the fuksis from the Guild of Electrical Engineering against the fuksis from the Guild of Mechanical Engineering. This is followed by a tug-of-war competition between the boards od the same guilds |
Materials from the orientation week sessions
To open the files, you must login to Aalto.fi (upper right corner of the page).
Master's Programme welcome sessions
New Master's Student Newsletters
During the spring and summer, we will send out many student newsletters, containing important information and tips for how to make the most of your time at Aalto. All sent letters will be archived here, so you can reference them at any time!
This newsletter was originally sent on 8 April 2024.
This newsletter was originally sent on 6 May 2024.
This newsletter was originally sent on 10 June 2024.
This letter was originally sent on 6 August 2024.
This newsletter was originally sent on 22 April 2024.
This newsletter was originally sent on 20 May 2024.
New Joint Master's Student Newsletters
This letter was originally sent on 8 April 2024.
This letter was originally sent on 8 May 2024.
This letter was originally sent on 10 June 2024.
Orientation to studies for Aalto BSc graduates
The master's programmes are planned as 2-year programmes starting in Autumn. The model schedules and course timetables have been designed based on this 2-year plan. However, if you start your MSc studies during Spring term, it is recommended to first complete the degree elective courses or minor studies.
All students who have graduated as a BSc from Aalto are invited to participate in the orientation of the master's programme. The content of the orientation week is mainly already familiar to you but are welcome to attend the welcome session of your programme and a specific info session for Aalto bachelor-graduates (see programme above - session is organised on Thursday 29 August).
Masters students
Information for new masters students
Campus maps, addresses and opening hours in Otaniemi
Here you will also find restaurants, the map, the Aalto Space mobile app, access control - all practical information on one page! You can also visit the campus virtually.
